Iran's vital links for Uzbek's Karimov and family

Iran’s transit routes via the ports of Bandar Abbas and Chabahar, are of vital importance for the transit of Uzbekistan’s goods, announced I. Gasimov the third secretary for the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Tehran. He explained that some 70 percent of Uzbekistan’s cotton (White Gold – produced effectively by children and slave labour - see pic) is currently exported via Bandar Abbas Port. “We attach special importance to the port for the export of our goods,” he emphasized.

“Thanks to its special geographic location and its access to free waters, Chabahar Free Trade Zone is one of the shortest routes connecting Uzbekistan to the other countries of the world.”

White Gold transport is closely associated with both the smuggling of acetic anhydride (2.5 Kg required per kg of heroin produced) a precursor chemical used in the extensive heroin laboratories in Afghanistan and the onward transport of the refined heroin to Rusia and Europe.

On Jan 5th 2005 the Trans-Afghan Corridor Council met for the first time in Taskhent, and recommended construction of a 2400km highway linking the Uzbek capital to Bandar Abbas in Iran, via Mazar-e Sharif and Heart in Afghanistan.

The Ferghana Valley contains 25 percent of the people of the Uzbek Republic and 38 percent of its arable land, it grows the bulk of Uzbekistan‘s cotton, now the fifth largest cotton producer and second largest exporter. The government holds the export monopoly on cotton mainly through Karimov’s close family. Inefficiency and corruption leads to substantial smuggling across the borders to Kyrgyzstan the reason why border bridge were closed when the Anijan refugees sought help when fleeing from the massacre in May.